Road safety takes centre stage this November as RoadSafe Saturday returns to Guildhall Square on Saturday 7 November, from 11am to 3pm, bringing the community together to raise awareness of the importance of making safer choices on our roads.
Organised by the North West Road Safety Partnership (NWRSP) and local charity Life After, the annual event aims to help reduce road collisions, encourage responsible road use and provide valuable safety advice and education for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and the wider community.
The event will feature live road traffic collision re-enactments and rescue demonstrations carried out by emergency services. These demonstrations provide the public with a powerful and realistic insight into the vital and often challenging work undertaken by first responders at the scene of serious incidents.
Speaking ahead of the event, Sandy Arthur, Chair of the North West Road Safety Partnership, said: “Road safety is something we all share, whether we are behind the wheel, on a bike or on foot. RoadSafe Saturday gives people the chance to see for themselves what a collision means for families, for emergency crews and for the wider community. We are grateful to Life After for their continued partnership and to everyone who helps us keep this conversation going.”
Life After, founded by individuals who have first-hand experience of losing loved ones in road collisions, will play a central role in the event.
Laura Radcliffe, Chair of Life After, said:
“Behind every collision is a family whose life has been changed for good. Our members know that pain first-hand, and they share their stories so that others are spared it. We hope everyone who comes along on 7th November leaves with a clearer sense of how quickly things can change, and of what each of us can do to prevent it.”
The initiative has also received strong backing from the organisations which make up the NWRSP, including elected representatives along with members from Life After, NIFRS, PSNI, Department for Infrastructure, PCSP, Life Cycles, and Finan Opticians.
Chair of Derry and Strabane Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), Darren Guy, reaffirmed the PCSP’s commitment to supporting road safety:
“We are pleased to stand alongside our partners again this year. Every life lost on our roads leaves families and communities coping with the consequences. Seeing the reality of a collision, and the work of our emergency services, is something that stays with people. Whether you drive, cycle or walk, I would encourage you to come along and be part of the day.”
Chief Inspector Cherith Craig, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said:
“Driving is a huge responsibility, and we all play a part in keeping ourselves and everyone else safe on the roads.The impact of serious and fatal collisions is colossal with lives changed, forever and in an instant, and nothing ever the same again.
“Dedicated days such as Roadsafe Saturday are really important to remind drivers of their responsibility in keeping our roads safe for everyone.
"Our ask is that everyone adheres to the Fatal Five - don’t drink or take drugs and drive; slow down; don’t be careless; always wear your seat belt and never use your mobile phone while driving.”
This year’s message is clear: every road user has a part to play in preventing further tragedies. By coming together as a community, organisers hope to promote safer habits and reduce the number of devastating collisions across the North West.
The North West Road Safety Partnership includes elected representatives along with members from Life After, NIFRS, PSNI, Department for Infrastructure, PCSP, Life Cycles, and Finan Opticians.
